Experience with Made in China cashmere sweaters?

[josepidal]

I know a bunch of people who are going to the States who are taking cashmere sweaters purchased in China, for extremely low prices. I was curious if anyone had any recent experiences with these products.

 

[VMan]

Quality isn't as high as those made in Scotland, Italy, or England, but neither is the price. In my experience they pill a little quicker, and don't keep their shape as well

The trade off is price. A good cashmere sweater will run about $400-600+ at full retail, and perhaps $100-300 on sale.

A Chinese cashmere sweater will run $75-200 at full retail in the states (at department stores), $50-70 at places like Marshalls and TJ Maxx, and $15-40 on clearance at Marshalls and TJs.

 

[josepidal]

Ah. An incredible and practical bargain, then, for a tropical country Asian who purchased a couple in mainland China and is going somewhere for just a couple of winters.

 

[VMan]

Out of curiousity, how much did you pay? I'd guess around US$20.

 

[josepidal]

Heh, I'm annoyed because I didn't. A few people who came from China or whose parents or relatives came from China informed me of this solution to their sweater problems. I'm guessing in the neighborhood of $15.

 

[Artisan Fan]

The best cashmere value I have found is the J. Crew around $100-140 which uses Loro Piana yarn.

Be careful of pilling with some of the lower grades.

Cashmere frustrates me as a shopper because the different grades are not marked. They need an A-B-C-D grading system. The ones I have from Italy and Scotland seem superb. The Loro Piana sweaters I have in a cashmere/silk blend are very durable and feel super soft.

 

[abc123]

How is the quality of the Ralph Lauren (not purple label) cashmere? I just picked one up, and while its certainly nice, it doesn't feel any better than several of the J Crew ones I own (though it does seem to be better made and probably more durable). I'm certainly not complaining, as I got it for $50 (from 400), but considering its between 2 and 3 times the price of the J Crew ones, I would fingure that it should be of noticeably better quality... Of course, I may just not know what to look for...

 

[EL72]

Chinese cashmere sweaters are crap (though some italian ones are too). They pill very easily after a couple of wearings and lose their shape.

 

[kitonbrioni]

Other than Tse cashmere sweaters, I stick with Scotland or Italian ones. Those made in Scotland are to beat.

 

[FIHTies]

http://styleforum.net/showthread.php...looding+market